The Tufts men’s tennis team played its first home matches of the season last week — facing off against NESCAC rivals Bates College on Thursday and Bowdoin College on Saturday. The Jumbos didn’t drop an individual match in their 9–0 win against the Bates Bobcats and were dominant again on Saturday in an 8–1 win against the Bowdoin Polar Bears.
The Jumbos, now winners of 10 straight matches, improve to 11–1 (NESCAC 6–1), while the Polar Bears’ second loss of the year sits them at 13–2 (NESCAC 5–1). This decisive victory pushes the Jumbos into sole possession of first place in the NESCAC as the only team with six wins. However, Bowdoin, Middlebury and Williams are all 5–1 and have four conference matches remaining as opposed to Tufts’ three.
Thursday’s match against the Bates revealed differing levels of skill between the two teams. Tufts went three for three in doubles and only dropped one set throughout six singles matches.
With the 2020 season being canceled due to COVID-19 and several NESCAC teams declining to play in 2021, this group is finally witnessing what months of training have brought to fruition.
“It’s exciting to see that all the work we put in during COVID-19 is finally showing us results,” junior Josh Belandres said.
The Jumbos’ upward push in the conference standings was not the only reason Saturday’s match was a landmark win; this is only the second victory for Tufts against Bowdoin since 2007.
Coming into Saturday, both teams held Intercollegiate Tennis Association top 10 national rankings. Bowdoin ranked No. 9 while Tufts ranked No. 3, trailing only The University of Chicago and Case Western Reserve University.
On the individual level, Tufts senior singles ace Isaac Gorelik dons a No. 3 regional singles ranking. Across the net from him on Saturday was Bowdoin’s Tristan Bradley, ranked No. 5.
Bradley commanded the first set 6–0, but Tufts’ No. 1 took the next two sets 6–4, 6–4 to clinch the match. Junior Rishabh Sharda won in the second position 7–5, 6–2, and first year Vuk Vuksanovic followed in the three spot with a 6–3, 7–5 win.
No. 4 singles senior Paris Pentousis dominated, denying his opponent a game in a 6–0, 6–0 takedown. First-year Derin Acaroglu won a three-setter in the No. 5 position 7–5, 7–6, 10–8 and Belandres completed the singles sweep with a 6–2, 7–6 win.
The Jumbos won two out of three doubles matches against the Polar Bears. Pairing Belandres and Sharda won 8–7 and Gorelik and Pentousis won 8–2. Vuksanovic and Acaroglu dropped a close match 8–7.
With only four matches remaining in the regular season, it would appear that this team is hitting its stride right on time. While the Jumbos boast undeniable talent and depth, one of the key factors in this team’s success lies outside the lines.
“It’s really important that we all connect well and we’re friends off the courts,” Belandres said. “When we’re out there competing in high-pressure situations on the court, it’s just reassuring to see one of the guys next to you competing.”
Belandres and the rest of the Tufts’ men’s tennis team will be in Cambridge for a match against MIT on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. then will be back on their home courts on Saturday at 2 p.m. against NESCAC rival Colby.
